BACKGROUND: In an effort to improve the diagnostic accuracy of the exercise electrocardiography (ECG) to detect coronary artery disease, exercise-induced changes in Q, R and S wave amplitudes has been evaluated in conjunction with or without ST segment changes. We measured the exercise-induced changes in Q, R and S wave amplitudes, and calculated the Athens QRS score to assess its diagnostic value. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Fifty patients who underwent the exercise test and MIBI myocardial scan and were proved to have coronary artery diameter stenosis > or =50% in coronary angiography were included in the patient group. Data of forty-nine persons showing negative findings in the exercise test and MIBI scan were used as control. The exercise test was performed according to the modified Bruce protocol using Marquette case 16. Exercise ECG was positive in 58% (29/50) of the patient group. The Q, R and S wave amplitudes at peak exercise were subtracted from the values of standing position at rest to obtain Athens QRS score. RESULTS: The mean age of patients and control were 54.5+/-9.4 years and 49.8+/-11.4 years respectively (p=NS), and their exercise capacity was 8.5+/-3.1 mets and 9.8+/-1.9 mets respectively (p=NS). The values of delta(R-Q-S)V5 + delta(R-Q-S)aVF and delta(R-Q-S)aVF were significantly lower in patients than the control (0.85+/-6.60 mm vs 3.72+/-5.09 mm, p=0.017, -0.60+/-4.76 mm vs 1.00+/-2.72 mm, p=0.030), and the values of deltaQV5 and deltaSaVF were significantly higher in patients than the control (-0.045+/-0.65 mm vs -0.41+/-0.78 mm, p=0.012, -0.84+/-1.90 mm vs -1.62+/-1.60 mm, p=0.009). However, the values were too widely overlaped between the patients and the control to give diagnostic cutoff points. CONCLUSION: It seems that exercise QRS scores do not have additive diagnostic value for coronary artery disease.
Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Electrocardiography ; Exercise Test ; Humans

A histopathological study of erythema nodosum-like lesions in Behcet's disease was performed on 55 patients with incomplete and suspect types of Behcet's disease. Relatively common characteristics in histopathology of erythema nodosum-like lesions could be found in the patients with incomplete type of Behcet's disease. The histopathologic findings of erythema nodosum-like lesions in 21 patients with incomplete type of Behcet's disease were as follows : l. A moderate lymphocytic infiltration was found around the blood vessels and the sweat glands in the dermis. In the subcutaneous tissue, besides lymphohistiocytic infiltration, neutrophils were present in significant number in 9 cases (42.9%) 2. Vasculitis of small vessels was found within the periphery of fat lobules in 7 cases (81.0%), Five cases (23.8%) also showed thrombophlebitis. Seven cases (33.3%) showed histiocytic granuloma formation within the fat lobules. Microabscess formation in the subcutaneous tissue was seen in 5 cases (23.8 %), but it was not certain whether this was the charateristic feature.
Blood Vessels ; Dermis ; Erythema Nodosum* ; Erythema* ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Neutrophil Infiltration ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Sweat Glands ; Thrombophlebitis ; Vasculitis

No abstract available.
Burns* ; Hand* ; Humans ; Infant*

BACKGROUND: Although graded exercise stress tests are widely used for the evaluation of cardiorespiratory performance, normal standards on respiratory gas exchange and ventilatory functions at maximal exercise in Koreans have not been well established. The purpose of this study is to provide reference values on these by sex and age, along with derivation of some of their prediction equations. METHOD: Symptom-limited maximal exercise test was carried out by Bruce protocol in 1,000 healthy adults consisting of 603 males and 397 females, aged 20~66 years. Among them VC, FEV1 and MVV were also determined in 885 cases. All the subjects were members of a health center, excluding athletes. During the exercise, subjects were allowed to hold on to front hand rail of the treadmill for safety purpose. RESULTS: The VO2 max/m2, VCO2 max/m2 and VE max/m2 were greater in males than in females and decreased with age. The RR max in men and women was similar but decreased slightly with age. The VT max was markedly greater in men but showed no significant changes with age in either gender. The mean of VT max/VC, VE max/MVV and BR revealed that there were considerable ventilatory reserves at maximal exercise even in older females. The regression equations of the cardinal parameters obtained using exercise time(ET, min), age(A, yr), height(Ht, cm), weight(W, kg), sex(S, 0=male; l=female), VC(L), FEV1(L) and VE max(L) as variables are as follows: VO2 max/m2(L/min)=1.449+0.073 ET-0.007A+0.010W-0.006Ht-0.209S, VCO2 max/m2(L/min)= 1.672+0.063ET-0.008A + 0.010W -0.005Ht -0.319S, VE max/m2(L/min)=58.161 +1.503ET - 0.315A-9.871S or VE max/m2(L/min)=47.873+6.548 FEV1-5.715 S, and VT max(L)=1.497+ 0.223VC-0.493S. CONCLUSION: Respiratory gas exchange and ventilatory variables at maximal exercise were studied in 1,000 non-athletes by Bruce protocol. During exercise, the subjects were allowed to hold on to hand rail of the treadmill for safety purpose. We feel that our results would provide ideal target values for patients and healthy individuals to be achieved, since our study subjects were members of a health center whose physical fitness levels were presumably higher than ordinary population.
Adult ; Athletes ; Exercise Test ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Male ; Physical Fitness ; Reference Values

Sixteen patients who underwent 18 modified Colonna capsular arthroplasty for old unreduced DDH1 between 1984 and 1992 were recalled and critically reviewed. The average age at operation was 11.5 years (range, 8.1 to 14.5 years). The average follow-up period was 7 years and 1 month (range, 5 to 13 years). All of the patients had pain or discomfort of the hip and limp. Femoral shortening was combined in all patients, and 13 hips required concurrent pelvic osteotomy (Chiari osteotomy in 5 hips Salter innominate osteotomy in 1 hips and Steel s osteotomy in 2 hips) or slotted shelf augmentation (5 hips) due to small and shallow acetabulum relative to the femoral head. In the remaining 5 hips which had thick medial acetabular wall acetabular reaming alone was performed. At the latest followup, 9 hips showed excellent 5, good; and 4, fair results according to the modified Harris hip score and IOWA hip score. In addition, all patients except one were satisfied with the outcome in terms of regaining hip stability and decrease in pain or discomfort and limp. Radiological evaluation revealed progressive, significant increase in size of the femoral head and sphericity improvement in 12 hips. The sphericity of the femoral head did not improve in other 2 hips. In the remaining 4 hips, in which preoperative femoral head shape was relatively aspherical, the sphericity worsened after affection of ischemic necrosis or osteoarthrosis. Complications included undisplaced femoral neck fracture during physiotherapy in 2, ischemic necrosis in 2, heterotropic ossification in 2, acetabular protrusio due to too much reaming in 3 hips, and residual subluxation requiring additional pelvic surgery in 2 hips, In conclusion, we believe that modified Colonna capsular arthroplasty with femoral shortening is valid, if properly done, in the reconsruction of painful hip with old unreduced DDH in late childhood and adolesence.
Acetabulum ; Adolescent* ; Arthroplasty* ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Head ; Hip ; Humans ; Iowa ; Necrosis ; Osteoarthritis ; Osteotomy ; Steel

The degenerative arthritis following total menisectomy has led to consideration of the need for meniscal transplantation, this study evaluates the morphologic and histologic changes fol lowing fresh meniscal autograft and allograft in therabbits. Transplantation of the medial meniscus was carried out in two groups of 32 rabbits(autograft group=16 rabbits, allograft group=16 rabbits). The morphological and histological changes of the transplanted auto-and allografted menisci and the articular cartilage of the medial femoral and tibial condyle were observed at 2,4,6,8,10,12,22,28 weeks postoperatively. There were no significant differences between auto and allograft groups in gross appearance. Histologically, the fibrous adhesion was noted between grafted meniscus and joint capsule 2 weeks after operation, but complete healing was seen at the suture sites without rejection phenomenon at 6 weeks in both groups. There were prominent inflammatory reactions such as lymphocytes and inflammatory cells infiltration during early postoperative stages(2,4 weeks) only in the allograft group, and more prominent fibrotic reactions in the allograft group than auto-graft group. The results of this study suggest that meniscal allografts are able to adapt to the host tissues, survive within the joint environment, and provide a functional replacement for the removed meniscus, but further studies for graft-host immune response and a method to take the maintenance and deposits of graft must be needed to perform the meniscal allograft in human.
Allografts ; Autografts ; Cartilage, Articular ; Humans ; Joint Capsule ; Joints ; Knee Joint ; Knee ; Lymphocytes ; Menisci, Tibial ; Methods ; Osteoarthritis ; Rabbits ; Sutures ; Transplants

Objectives: The hospital selection factor is the criterion based on the judgment of the patients’ decision process. We investigated the hospital selection factors of patients with sleep disorders and compared that for patients with sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. Methods: This is a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study that evaluated patients with a sleep disorder at the sleep unit of a tertiary referral center. We investigated the patients’ demographic information, occupational status, diagnosis of sleep disorders, and hospital-related and patient-related factors associated with hospital selection. Results: A total of 138 patients with a sleep disorder were analyzed. Internet information was the primary data source for sleep apnea patients to select a hospital, while it was acquaintances for patients with other sleep disorders. None with sleep apnea gathered information from broadcast or print media. Patients gave the highest score for the least waiting time and recency of the hospital’s facility. Unlike patients with other sleep disorders, those with sleep apnea valued the hospital’s popularity, accessibility, availability of appointments at desired dates, and medical expense benefits. Conclusions This is the first study to analyze the hospital selection factors of patients with sleep disorders in South Korea. This study might improve the sleep medication as well as the medical system by revealing the medical use behavior of patients with sleep disorders.

Objectives: The hospital selection factor is the criterion based on the judgment of the patients’ decision process. We investigated the hospital selection factors of patients with sleep disorders and compared that for patients with sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. Methods: This is a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study that evaluated patients with a sleep disorder at the sleep unit of a tertiary referral center. We investigated the patients’ demographic information, occupational status, diagnosis of sleep disorders, and hospital-related and patient-related factors associated with hospital selection. Results: A total of 138 patients with a sleep disorder were analyzed. Internet information was the primary data source for sleep apnea patients to select a hospital, while it was acquaintances for patients with other sleep disorders. None with sleep apnea gathered information from broadcast or print media. Patients gave the highest score for the least waiting time and recency of the hospital’s facility. Unlike patients with other sleep disorders, those with sleep apnea valued the hospital’s popularity, accessibility, availability of appointments at desired dates, and medical expense benefits. Conclusions This is the first study to analyze the hospital selection factors of patients with sleep disorders in South Korea. This study might improve the sleep medication as well as the medical system by revealing the medical use behavior of patients with sleep disorders.

Background: Although electroencephalography is known as non-invasive, long-term electroencephalography monitoring has a significant risk of pressure ulcers caused by electrodes. We investigated the incidence and risk factors of pressure ulcers in long-term electroencephalography monitoring for more than 24 hours. Methods: All patients who underwent long-term electroencephalography monitoring for more than 24 hours from January 2020 to December 2021 were reviewed. Their medical records were reviewed to evaluate the risk factors for pressure ulcers by electroencephalography electrodes. All patients were divided into the presence (lesion positive) and absence (lesion negative) of pressure ulcers confirmed by a clinician. Results: A total of 541 patients were analyzed in this study. Their mean age was 56.0±21.5, and the average duration of the long-term electroencephalography monitoring was 118.0±68.6 hours. Pressure ulcers were identified in 49 patients (9.1%). The odds ratios of age and recording time were 1.032 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.008-1.056, p=0.009) and 1.022 (95% CI, 1.015-1.029, p<0.001), respectively. The odds ratio of pressure ulcer was 2.702 (95% CI, 1.461-4.999, p=0.002) in patients with comatose mentality (1 point for eye response of Glasgow coma scale). Conclusions The pressure ulcers caused by electrodes in long-term electroencephalography monitoring can be preventable with due diligence in clinical settings. Risk factor control to prevent pressure ulcers due to electroencephalography electrodes is needed.

Most cases of spondylolisthesis are asymptomatic and successfully managed with conservative treatment. Operation was performed in 20% of symptomatic cases having severe back pain, neurological symptoms and/or progressive slipping. Although surgical treatments are divided into decompression and fusion, various methods were tried from simple Gill's resection to posterior and/or anterior fusion with instrumentation in case of severe slipping. The authors reviewed 54 cases of symptomatic spondylolisthesis, who were surgically treated, and had follow up evaluations our institution during past 6 years from March, 1990, to March, 1996. 1) The age distribution was from 19 to 64 years of age and the highest prevalent decade was at the 5th. 2) There were 14 male and 40 female patients with female preponderance about 3 to 1 ratio. 3) Thirty one cases were isthmic type and 23 cases were degenerative type. The ratio between isthmic type and degenerative type was about 2:1. 4) The displacement between L4 and L5 was 25 cases and the displacement between L5 and sacrum was 18 cases, and others were L3 and L4, L4 and sacrum, L5 and L6. 5) Overall results are excellent in 7 cases(13%), good 35 cases(65%), fair 10 cases(19%), and poor 2 cases(4%). 6) There were no changes in slipping in 23 cases(42.6%). Occurred in partial reduction were possible in 30 cases (55.5%), and further slipping developed was 1 case(1.9%).
Age Distribution ; Back Pain ; Decompression ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Sacrum ; Spondylolisthesis*